Abstract We meet our hosts, Alice and Bob, and an undergraduate student, Cardy. Alice and Bob tell Cardy why QC is “the next big thing.” They give a brief introduction to quantum information science (QIS) and its relation to quantum computing (QC). They also provide an overview of the rest of the book and how the book should be used to come to grips with quantum ideas that allow QCs to do things unimaginable for traditional computers. Alice and Bob emphasize that with perseverance everyone can understand the fundamentals of QC and how quantum physics enables entirely new ways of thinking about computational algorithms. They explain the book’s overarching narrative: quantum states, quantum entanglement, and quantum measurements provide the essential resources for QC and QIS.
Abstract We meet our hosts, Alice and Bob, and an undergraduate student, Cardy. Alice and Bob tell Cardy why QC is “the next big thing.” They give a brief introduction to quantum information science (QIS) and its relation to quantum computing (QC). They also provide an overview of the rest of the book and how the book should be used to come to grips with quantum ideas that allow QCs to do things unimaginable for traditional computers. Alice and Bob emphasize that with perseverance everyone can understand the fundamentals of QC and how quantum physics enables entirely new ways of thinking about computational algorithms. They explain the book’s overarching narrative: quantum states, quantum entanglement, and quantum measurements provide the essential resources for QC and QIS.
Abstract Quantum Computing: From Alice to Bob provides a distinctive and accessible introduction to the rapidly growing fields of quantum information science (QIS) and quantum computing (QC). The book is designed for undergraduate students and upper-level secondary school students with little or no background in physics, computer science, or mathematics beyond secondary school algebra and trigonometry. While broadly accessible, the book provides a solid conceptual and formal understanding of quantum states and entanglement—the key ingredients in quantum computing. The authors give detailed treatments of many of the classic quantum algorithms that demonstrate how and when QC has an advantage over classical computers. The book provides a solid explanation of the physics of QC and QIS and then weds that knowledge to the mathematics of QC algorithms and how those algorithms deploy the principles of quantum physics to solve the problem. This book connects the physics concepts, the computer science vocabulary, and the mathematics, providing a complete picture of how QIS and QC work. The authors give multiple representations of the concept—textual, graphical, and symbolic (state vectors, matrices, and Dirac notation)—which are the lingua franca of QIS and QC. Those multiple representations allow the readers to develop a broader and deeper understanding of the fundamental concepts and their applications. In addition, the book provides examples of recent experimental demonstrations of quantum teleportation and the applications of quantum computational chemistry. The last chapter connects to the growing commercial world of QC and QIS and provides recommendations for further study.
Abstract Alice and Bob describe currently available physical systems to be used as quantum qubits. While the quantitative physics is beyond the scope of this book, they give a brief qualitative explanation of the physics of those qubits. The difference between QC and QIS is briefly delineated, including the possibility of a quantum internet. They also explain a variety of other QC and QIS issues including programming quantum computers, future qubits, new QC architectures, machine learning, and AI. They also raise several ethical issues facing QC and QIS and point to information about careers in QC and QIS.
Quantum physics allows entirely new forms of computation and cryptography, which could perform tasks currently impossible on classical devices, leading to an explosion of new algorithms, communications protocols and suggestions for physical implementations of all these ideas. As a result, quantum information has made the transition from an exotic research topic to part of mainstream undergraduate courses in physics. Based on years of teaching experience, this textbook builds from simple fundamental concepts to cover the essentials of the field. Aimed at physics undergraduate students with a basic background in quantum mechanics, it guides readers through theory and experiment, introducing all the central concepts without getting caught up in details. Worked examples and exercises make this useful as a self-study text for those who want a brief introduction before starting on more advanced books. Solutions are available online at www.cambridge.org/9781107014466.
Why yet another book on quantum information theory? Like many lecturers we began writing this text because none of the alternatives seemed quite right. This book is aimed squarely at undergraduate physics students who want a brief but reasonably thorough introduction to the exciting ideas of quantum information, including its applications in computation and communication. It is based on a short course we have taught to fourth-year students at Oxford University since 2004; for the most part it only assumes knowledge of elementary quantum mechanics and linear algebra, and so could even be taught to third-year undergraduates. A brief revision guide to quantum mechanics is provided as an appendix, which should cover any minor points that have been missed. As the title implies the book is structured in three parts, starting with the basics of quantum information and then applying this to quantum computation and quantum communication. Part I is self-contained, but contains only the barest hints of the exciting applications which attract many people to this field and so might prove unsatisfying on its own. Parts II and III draw heavily on Part I, but are largely independent of each other, and it would be perfectly possible to study only one of these two without the other. As this text is aimed at physics undergraduates, we believe that it is vital to cover experimental techniques, rather than merely presenting quantum information as a series of abstract quantum operations. We have, however, concentrated on the basic ideas underlying each approach, rather than worrying about particular experimental details.
Quantum mechanics is the most successful theory for describing the microworld of photons, atoms, and their aggregates. It is behind much of the successes of modern technology. It has deep philosophical implications to the fundamental nature of material reality. A few decades ago, it was also realized that it is connected to the computer science and information theory. With this understanding were born the new disciplines of quantum computing and quantum communication. The current book introduces the very exciting area of quantum communication, which lies at the intersection of quantum mechanics, information theory, and atomic physics. The relevant concepts of these disciplines are explained, and their implication for the task of unbreakably secure communication is elucidated. The mathematical formulation of various approaches has been explained. An attempt has been made to keep the exposition self-contained. A senior undergraduate with good mathematics and physics background should be able to follow the current thinking about these issues after understanding the material presented in this book.
QUANTUM COMPUTING A helpful introduction to all aspects of quantum computing Quantum computing is a field combining quantum mechanics—the physical science of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles—and information science. Where ordinary computing uses bits, logical values whose position can either be 0 or 1, quantum computing is built around qubits, a fundamental unit of quantum information which can exist in a superposition of both states. As quantum computers are able to complete certain kinds of functions more accurately and efficiently than computers built on classical binary logic, quantum computing is an emerging frontier which promises to revolutionize information science and its applications. This book provides a concise, accessible introduction to quantum computing. It begins by introducing the essentials of quantum mechanics that information and computer scientists require, before moving to detailed discussions of quantum computing in theory and practice. As quantum computing becomes an ever-greater part of the global information technology landscape, the knowledge in Quantum Computing will position readers to join a vital and highly marketable field of research and development. The book’s readers will also find: Detailed diagrams and illustrations throughout A broadly applicable quantum algorithm that improves on the best-known classical algorithms for a wide range of problems In-depth discussion of essential topics including key distribution, cluster state quantum computing, superconducting qubits, and more Quantum Computing is perfect for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or the physical sciences, as well as for researchers and academics at the intersection of these fields who want a concise reference.